Wall protection systems have long been found in hospitals and nursing homes. They also appear in many other locations, such as elevators, office buildings, etc. In addition to protecting walls from potentially damaging impacts and collisions, they can provide mobility assistance to persons needing additional support while walking, particularly in the form of stairway railings and corridor handrails.
The main purpose of such systems, however, is to provide a resilient wall protection system that absorbs the impact of moving objects, for example push carts, dollies, hospital gurneys, food carts, mail carts, etc.
A wall protection system can generally be described as consisting of three components--a main segment (typically linear, as are most walls, but can be curved); a corner segment which connects two main segments (typically 90.degree., but can vary as appropriate to connect the two main segments); and an end cap which fits over the open end of a main segment to close or finish the end.
The main segment can be constructed in a variety of ways, but typically consists of several separate pieces fitted together. A frame (possibly constructed of aluminum, hard plastic or other suitable material) is secured to a wall by a number of wall mounting brackets which are spaced every few feet down the length of the frame. A cover, which may be impact absorbing, is then fitted over the frame, forming the main segment.
End cap and corner segments of present wall protection systems are separate components which are typically hollow. They may be constructed of molded plastic or other impact resistant material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,261 issued Apr. 29, 1980, shows a substantially hollow corner piece fitted between two intersecting sections of the wall protection system. U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,110 issued Jan. 21, 1975 shows an end cap including an internal mounting portion and an external portion. The end cap is fitted into a bumper member so that the bumper member is free to continue to deflect and deform upon impact, keeping the end cap retained in place. The end cap is used to close the internal space defined by the bumper member as an attractive termination of the bumper member. U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,229 issued Jul. 23, 1974 also describes end caps for covering the hollow portion of the longitudinal extensions of a wall protection system.
The end cap and corner segments are two of the more susceptible and frequent contact points for the many abusive impacts which are absorbed by wall protection systems. Impacts to the corners and end caps can produce scuffing, stress whitening and complete fracture of the end cap or corner.